Tourtière

Ingredients

• For the pastry: 450 g all-purpose wheat flour
• 200 g lard, cold and cubed
• 1 tsp salt
• 120 mL ice water
• For the filling: 450 g ground pork
• 250 g lean ground beef
• 1 large potato (about 250 g), peeled and finely diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried savory
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 200 mL water

Method

1. 1Rub the lard into the flour and salt until pea-size crumbs remain. Add the ice water a spoonful at a time until the dough just holds together. Split in two, flatten, wrap and chill 1 hour.
2. 2In a heavy pot, cook the pork, beef and onion over medium heat for 15 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and it reaches at least 74 °C.
3. 3Add the potato, water, clove, cinnamon, savory and salt. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring, until the potato is soft and most of the liquid is gone.
4. 4Mash the potato into the meat so it thickens the filling. Taste and adjust the salt. The filling should be well seasoned.
5. 5Spread the filling in a shallow pan and chill until under 5 °C, within 2 hours of cooking. Never fill a pie with warm meat.
6. 6Roll the bottom crust into a 23 cm pie plate. Fill with the cold filling, cover with the top crust, crimp the edge and cut vents.
7. 7Wrap the unbaked pie tightly, label with the date and freeze flat.